Should I upgrade to Windows 10 from 7, or risky?

[Jon12345]

I have Windows 7, some data backed up but not all. Its asking if I want to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.

1. Will this kick out some of my programs like MS Office etc, or will all programs work fine as before?

2. Can it go faulty half way through the upgrade, or are there very good safeguards against this built into Windows 10 upgrade?

I fear I could have a system that doesn't restart then I am buggered!

Thanks,

Jon

 

[AddRAM]

If you like Windows 7 then stay with Windows 7

1) Usually not, but a program could be incompatible.

2) As long as your power does not go off you should be fine, and if it did, the install would just resume.

If you do not want to install Windows 10, then have a look at these.

Ultimate Outsider - Software Downloads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVC_g3wRP48

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pcmDTDRGgA

 

[Taplice]

People: Backup important files a memory stick costs a couple of dollars. Always do backup.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Create a system image to a totally separate hdd before you upgrade because yes it could hang......
Without a system image you would be up a creek
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[Jon12345]

I have a 128mb SSD drive with my Windows stuff on it. If I did a system image, it would go to a external drive. How long would something like that take, approx?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I have a 128mb SSD drive with my Windows stuff on it. If I did a system image, it would go to a external drive. How long would something like that take, approx?

How many minutes? Likely less than 30 minutes, assuming you have at least a medium-powered CPU. Quite likely less than 15 minutes, unless that 128 GB drive is nearly full.

Your system specs tell us nearly nothing, so you may have a puny CPU?

But I'm unclear why you think the time required would be of much significance.

Much more important is how to make the image, how to restore it, and an overall understanding of the process--beyond what you'd get in a 2 or 3 paragraph summary.

There's certainly no over-riding reason to accept Windows 10, unless you are the type who believes that anything free is worthwhile and irresistible---millions of people do think that way and will line up for it.

 

[Jon12345]

I figure backup is step one, so I want to get started. Would something like free Macrium Reflect be suitable? Time required determines when I get started without interrupting my schedule.

I got a 4 year old quad core PC with about 4gb of free space left. Plenty of room on the external drive.

I tried to upgrade components of Windows 7. When I selected them and went to update as normal, the only button available was one saying get Windows 10, or something like that. So I aborted the updates and investigated Win 10.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I figure backup is step one, so I want to get started. Would something like free Macrium Reflect be suitable? Time required determines when I get started without interrupting my schedule.

I got a 4 year old quad core PC with about 4gb of free space left. Plenty of room on the external drive.

Macrium Reflect Free would be fine.

You should use images even if Win 10 did not exist.

I'd probably use something else to back up personal data.

You may need to make an image of C and other partitions or maybe just C alone. Or you could make a single image file of each and every partition on that 128 GB drive.

At that point, you'd have an image file with an mrimg extension that is largely useless as it sits.

A 4 year old quad core can probably make an image of a nearly fully occupied 128 gb drive 25 or 30 minutes, give or take.

I'd be concerned about having only 4 GB of free space out of 128. That's a problem. I'd do a "Disk Cleanup" from within Windows and/or consider uninstalling apps, moving data, or somehow getting more free space.

If you can't or won't do that, then shop for a larger drive and restore your Macrium image to that larger drive.

 

[Jon12345]

It was only 500MB left. I've been removing what I can. One reason that Win 10 appealed was its smaller footprint. Might leave me a bit more data. I could really do with a new PC!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Have you done a formal Disk Cleanup?

Have you turned off hibernation?

Have you reduced the size of your page file?

Have you adjusted the amount of space devoted to System Restore?

All of those things will recover space.

 

[Jon12345]

I've done the formal disk cleanup. Not turned off hybernation as I use that. Didn't alter page file as I am always maxed out on memory. I have 4GB of RAM but I am on a 32bit system, so I understand that limits you to using only 3GB, yes?

I did reduce system restore space.

I have lots of apps and that doesn't help. Ultimately I want to do an upgrade, but I have much higher priorities before I do that.

I do have a powerful i7 Mac but that has turned into a glorified TV as I have found I much prefer Windows!

 

[Layback Bear]

Just my thoughts.

First things first.

The first thing I recommend is getting more free space on your "C" partition. At least 10 to 15%. Many things will not work properly with Windows 7 if it doesn't have enough free space.

ignatzatsonic in post #10 give some very good methods to get more free space.

If you don't want to do them the answer is simple. You either remove things from the "C" Windows 7 partition or get a bigger drive. What you remove is up to you.

Upgrading from Windows 7 to W-10 on the same drive with low free space is very risky in my opinion.

If you want to try W-10 our sister forum has more than enough tutorials to help you along your path.

Windows 10 Forums

Jack